Killen Creek trail #113, Mt. Adams, 7/18/14

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Aimless
Posts: 1922
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lake Oswego

Killen Creek trail #113, Mt. Adams, 7/18/14

Post by Aimless » July 19th, 2014, 9:21 am

The roads that access Killen Creek trailhead range from good, through mediocre, down to poor, but all of them are passable for passenger cars - just keep your eye out for potholes and a few excessively deep ruts that could do genuine damage if you hit them too fast. The trail is popular with both hikers and horses and the trailhead has an adequate parking area.

My hike was brief. I hiked the 3 miles from the trailhead (4600 ft) up to the junction with the PCT (6100 ft), plus a bit of the PCT in both directions. The trail itself starts out rather sandy, like soft, dry beach sand in many places in lower part of the trail. It also features many brief staircases.
reduced trail stairs.jpg
At about 2-1/4 miles you reach the lowest of the alpine meadows and the first of many fine views. Up to here (~5700 ft) there were a few snow patches, but nothing of note. Climbing through the various meadows toward Mt Adams the snow patches became more evident at perhaps 5800 ft.
reduced trail snow & Adams.jpg
Fairly soon the snow patches became snow fields and the trail was frequently covered, but still not too difficult to follow. Just below the junction with the PCT was a large snow field that made the trail quite obscure. At the junction and above there was plenty of snow.
reduced PCT sign.jpg
I hiked south from the junction on the PCT for about a quarter mile. It was almost completely snow-covered in that direction, averaging what looked to me like about 2 feet of snow. I came back and hiked north for about a half mile. In this direction the trail was much more obvious and at the half mile it was almost entirely clear of snow as it dropped a bit of elevation.

The sun was slightly obscured, but it was unmistakably a warm-to-hot day. In fact, between the sun above and snow reflecting it from below, I got a mild sunburn on my face. The snow was definitely soft and obviously melting. My trail runners got rather wet. Since I'll be hiking through that area on the PCT in about a week, I'm rooting for the sun, not the snow. I'm pretty sure the sun will win. :)

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-Q-
Posts: 1433
Joined: July 5th, 2008, 10:42 pm

Re: Killen Creek trail #113, Mt. Adams, 7/18/14

Post by -Q- » July 21st, 2014, 3:22 pm

Thanks for the TR. Great info, especially the snow levels. Much appreciated :)

200,000'
Posts: 137
Joined: March 16th, 2010, 1:25 pm

Re: Killen Creek trail #113, Mt. Adams, 7/18/14

Post by 200,000' » July 21st, 2014, 4:05 pm

Helpful report...THANKS

Aimless
Posts: 1922
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lake Oswego

Re: Killen Creek trail #113, Mt. Adams, 7/18/14

Post by Aimless » August 9th, 2014, 10:39 am

Just as a postscript, I arrived back at the same junction between Killen Creek Trail and the PCT a week later, on Saturday, July 26, coming from the south on the PCT. There was still snow on the PCT in the two or three miles approaching this junction, but it had melted out enough in one week that lingering snow presented no problems for navigation or safety. This shows just how quickly snow conditions can change in high summer.

For reference, here's a photo of the same junction on July 26.
pct jct - reduced.jpg
PCT junction with Killen Creek trail

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